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You Don't Have to Wear Lingerie for a Boudoir Session
One of the things I hear from women who are considering a boudoir session is some version of: “But I'm not really a lingerie person.”
Good news. You don't have to be. Some of my clients love lingerie. They come in excited about lace, stockings, bodysuits and all the things they've been saving in their online shopping carts. Other women look at lingerie and immediately think, Absolutely not. Both belong in my studio.
Because a boudoir session isn't about putting on the smallest thing you're willing to wear and trying to become some completely different version of yourself for the camera. It's about photographing you. And sometimes the thing that makes you feel the most confident isn't lingerie at all.
Start with how you want to feel
Before we talk about what you should wear, I'd rather talk about how you want to feel. Do you want your photos to feel soft and feminine? Powerful? Sexy? Romantic? Edgy? Playful? Cozy? Maybe you want a little bit of everything.
The outfit is just one tool we use to create that feeling. That's one of the reasons wardrobe planning is part of the process. I'm not expecting you to magically know what photographs well or order $700 worth of lingerie hoping three things work. We'll talk about what you're comfortable showing, what you love about your body, what you might be nervous about and what you want your finished images to feel like. Then we build from there.
What to Wear for a Boudoir Session (Besides Lingerie)
This is where people are usually surprised. There are so many options.
A bodysuit
This is probably one of my favorites because there are a million variations. Some are revealing. Some offer quite a bit of coverage. They can be soft and romantic, bold, edgy or incredibly simple. And yes, bodysuits photograph beautifully.
An oversized sweater
Especially if you're nervous about showing your stomach or simply want something softer and cozier. Bare legs with an oversized sweater can be every bit as beautiful as lingerie.
A button-down shirt
Wear your own, borrow your partner's, or choose one specifically for the session. We can style it completely buttoned, partially open, off the shoulder...there are plenty of ways to change the look without changing the outfit.
Jeans
Yep. A favorite pair of jeans with a bra, bodysuit, tank, crop top or even nothing underneath a jacket can make an incredible set of images.
A blazer
This can go sophisticated, sexy or powerful very quickly. It's also a great option if the traditional soft-and-lacy boudoir look just isn't you.
A dress Especially something fitted, off-the-shoulder, backless or with an interesting neckline. You don't have to strip down for something to feel sensual.
A tank, T-shirt or favorite everyday piece
There is absolutely no rule saying everything you bring has to come from the lingerie section. Sometimes an ordinary piece of clothing styled differently becomes one of my favorite looks from the entire session.
“But I don't want to show my stomach.”
Then we don't have to. Seriously. You don't earn a boudoir session by reaching a certain level of comfort with your body. You can show a lot. You can show a little.
You can start covered and decide during your session that you want to try something outside your comfort zone. Or you can stay covered the entire time. There isn't a prize for showing the most skin. And there definitely isn't one specific body type you need before you're “allowed” to do this.
A lot of the women I photograph are somewhere in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. Bodies change. Weight changes. Skin changes. Life changes.
You don't have to wait until you somehow arrive at a version of yourself that you think deserves to be photographed.
You also don't have to figure out your wardrobe alone
This part matters. One of the biggest reasons women get overwhelmed preparing for boudoir is because they start Googling. Then suddenly you're staring at 86 Pinterest boards, wondering if you need thigh-high stockings, five lingerie sets, heels you've never worn in your life and some complicated strappy thing that requires an engineering degree to put on. Please don't do that to yourself.
For my Signature Empowerment Experience, we'll have a planning consultation before your session. We'll talk about your vision, what you already own, what you might want to purchase and what we have available in the studio wardrobe.
You don't need three outfits that all accomplish the same thing, either. I would much rather give you variety.
Maybe we start with jeans and a bodysuit. Then move into something softer. Then finish with something that pushes you slightly outside your comfort zone. Or maybe your version looks completely different. That's the point.
And no, you don't need to know how to pose either
Wardrobe is only one of the things women worry about. The other big one? “I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in front of a camera.”
Perfect. You're not supposed to. I guide you through your posing throughout your session. That means I'm paying attention to your hands, your legs, your posture, your expression, your hair and all those tiny details that can completely change a photograph.
You don't have to practice. You don't have to spend the week before your session studying boudoir poses on TikTok. And you definitely don't have to walk into my studio already feeling like a model. That's my job.
What if I DO want to wear lingerie?
Then bring the lingerie! This isn't an anti-lingerie blog post. I love photographing beautiful lingerie. The point is that lingerie is an option, not an admission requirement.
If putting on a gorgeous lingerie set makes you feel incredible, I want that for you. If wearing an oversized sweater makes you feel incredible, I want that too. If you want to start in jeans and end up wrapped in a sheet? We can do that.
Your session should look like you, not like you're trying to recreate someone else's boudoir photos.
This isn't about looking sexy enough
That's probably the biggest thing I want you to take away from this.
You don't need to show up at my studio already confident.
You don't need to know how to pose.
You don't need a drawer full of lingerie.
And you don't need to transform your body first.
You just have to show up.
We'll take care of the rest together. Because this isn't really about looking sexy. It's about looking at a photograph and recognizing yourself again.
And maybe saying: Wait...that's actually me?
Yeah. That's you.
Ready to see what your session could look like?
If you've been thinking about doing a boudoir session but haven't felt like the lingerie-heavy images you've seen elsewhere really represented you, I'd love for you to see what's possible. Every session is built around the person I'm photographing—including what makes you feel comfortable, confident and like yourself.
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